Nasa working on structure to accommodate losers

ANC party leader Musalia Mudavadi addresses a crowd at Khayega shopping centre in Kakamega County on Sunday. PHOTO | ONDARI OGEGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama said that those who will not clinch the ticket will have other roles to play once they are in government.
  • The team, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, is set to meet on Tuesday to finalise on nomination rules for other elective seats.

The National Super Alliance is working on a government structure which will accommodate three co-principals who will not be named as flag bearer in the next elections.

This came as Amani National Congress leader Musalia Mudavadi said that none of the key leaders in the coalition will pull out after their presidential candidate is unveiled.

Interviews with various insiders revealed that they had instructed a team of experts, who were preparing a formula for nominating the presidential candidate, to include cushions for those who will not win Nasa’s ticket.

They pointed to positions of Deputy President, National Assembly Speaker and the possible creation of the position of chief minister, if they win the elections.

In their coalition agreement signed last week, they included a power sharing clause that only addressed peripheral issues without directly touching on key positions, but it is expected that an addendum will be introduced later.

EXECUTIVE APPOINTMENTS

“Powers will be shared in executive appointments, legislative offices, national government appointments and leadership positions in the legislatures that the coalition is entitled to,” the pact stated.

Nasa brings together Mr Mudavadi, Mr Raila Odinga (ODM), Mr Kalonzo Musyoka (Wiper) and Moses Wetang’ula (Ford-Kenya)

On Sunday, Machakos Senator Johnson Muthama said that those who will not clinch the ticket will have other roles to play once they are in government.

“We are aware that 40 million Kenyans cannot be President; neither will all four be President. Only one can be President. Other people will have different roles to play once we are in power,” he said by phone.

PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE NOMINATION

Whether the nomination of the presidential candidate was a thorny issue in Nasa, Mr Muthama said: “The nomination of a presidential candidate is a different matter but Kenyans can rest assured that it will be easiest for us; we have no problem.”

The team, led by Siaya Senator James Orengo, is set to meet on Tuesday to finalise on nomination rules for other elective seats in order to beat this week’s deadline set by the IEBC.

While touring Kakamega County on Sunday, Mr Mudavadi asked residents not to fall into Jubilee’s forays.

Fresh from 64 Stadium in Eldoret, where together with his compatriots addressed a mammoth crowd, he assured locals that the Opposition was on track and Nasa will “save the country.”

Mr Mudavadi said: “We in the Opposition are working together with a clear road map that will see Jubilee lose power to us. We are united against their initial thoughts that the Opposition would never come together.”